System for vertically adjusting a shelf

ABSTRACT

The present invention refers to a system for vertically adjusting a shelf, such as in refrigerating appliances, cabinets, lockers and similar, said shelf comprises horizontal support members ( 10, 11 ) arranged perpendicularly to vertical guides ( 1, 2 ) where they can be vertically adjusted, and a deposit plate ( 12 ), a drawer or similar, being attached to said horizontal support members ( 10, 11 ). The invention is based on a fact that said shelf is fixed in a form-locking and friction-type manner in vertical guides ( 1, 2 ) by means of horizontal support members ( 10, 11 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from Slovenian PatentApplication P-200900116, filed Apr. 23, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention refers to a system for vertically adjusting ashelf, such as in refrigerating appliances, cabinets, lockers andsimilar, said shelf comprises horizontal support members arrangedperpendicularly to vertical guides where they can be verticallyadjusted, and a deposit plate, a drawer or similar, being attached tosaid horizontal support members.

2. Description of the Related Art

The aforementioned system for vertically adjusting a shelf is known frominternational patent applications No. WO 2008/095775, WO 2008/095545 andWO 2006/120102. All the said known solutions have several drawbacks. Thefact that a shelf, when raised and afterwards lowered, can freely fallis particularly outstanding. Furthermore, in order to adjust the shelfvertically it must be moved and rotated in several directions,representing a sever obstacle for a user. In addition to inaccuratevertical adjusting of the shelf, the embodiment of the system itself israther technologically demanding and time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to create a system forvertically adjusting a shelf of the aforesaid kind with which saiddrawbacks of the known solutions will be remedied.

According to the invention, said object is solved by a shelf being fixedin a form-locking and friction-type manner in vertical guides by meansof horizontal support members. Each said vertical guide, having aC-shaped cross-section, comprises a web formed with a plurality ofthrough holes for passing the air, and a side arranged opposite to saidweb, said side being formed with folds facing each other. Preferably,the free end of at least one fold is formed with a gearing extendingover the entire length of each said guide.

Furthermore, it is provided for according to the invention that eachsaid horizontal support member is formed on the side cooperating witheach of said guides with a flange-like extension, an oblong andrelatively narrow tongue-like projection being associated thereto inlongitudinal direction. The upper section of said projection is formedwith a pair of vertically and horizontally spaced circular projectionsintended to mesh with said gearing of each guide. Thus, a form-lockingconnection between the guide and the horizontal support member beingprovided in this manner. Said friction-type connection between the guideand the horizontal support member is created in a manner that thesurface of the flange-like extension facing the guide is pressed againsteach guide due to dead load of the shelf.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference tothe accompanying drawings without being limited thereto.

FIG. 1 shows a shelf according to the invention in a three-dimensionalview,

FIG. 2 shows a detail of a vertical guide of the shelf of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a horizontal support member of the shelf of FIG. 1 in athree-dimensional view,

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the support member of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the support member as in FIG. 4 but fromanother perspective,

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the shelf according to the invention,

FIG. 7 shows a side view of the shelf according to the invention andready to be vertically adjusted,

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the shelf according to the invention andfixed in the vertical guides,

FIG. 9 shows a cross-section of the vertical guide and the shelfaccording to the invention incorporated into a cooling appliance, and

FIG. 10 shows a cross-section of another embodiment of the verticalguide and the shelf according to the invention incorporated into acooling appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

A system for vertically adjusting a shelf being described in detailswith reference to a cooling appliance comprises at least one, preferablytwo vertical guides 1, 2 being mutually spaced and formed in thecross-section as the letter C. Since said guides are preferablyidentical, only the first guide 1 is fully described in the foregoingand with reference to FIG. 2. Said guides 1, 2 are preferably placedagainst each other in a manner that webs 3 thereof faces each other.However, it is obvious that said guides 1, 2 may be arranged in a mannerthat said webs 3 are averted from each other. Each web 3 of said guides1, 2 is formed with a plurality of through holes 4 enabling the airpassage. A side 5 of each C-formed guide 1, 2 arranged opposite to saidweb 3 is formed as a pair of folds 6, 7 facing each other, the free endof at least one fold 6, 7 being preferably formed over the entire lengthof said guide 1, 2 with a gearing 8, 9.

To each of said guides 1, 2 there is attached by means of a form-lockingconnection and on the principle of a cantilever a slender support member10, 11, said form-locking connection being fully described below,wherein said support member 10, 11 being relocatable in the longitudinaldirection of said guides 1, 2 and a deposit plate 12 being superimposedon said support members 10, 11. Since both said support members areidentical only the first support member 10 is fully described in theforegoing and with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Said depositplate 12 is attached to said support members 10, 11 either irremovably,by means of an adhesive means for example, or removably whereby in thelatter case said deposit plate 12 being fixed on each said supportmember 10, 11 by means of a safeguard 13, thus preventing a displacementof said deposit plate 12 relative to said support member 10, 11. Here,said deposit plate 12 being formed of an opaque or partially or entirelytranslucent material such as glass or plastic, for instance. Saidsafeguard 13 having preferably the same width as said support member 10,11 is connected with said support member 10, 11 by means of aform-locking connection, for example, wherein said safeguard 13 isformed on the side facing said support member 10, 11 with a T-shapedguide 14 cooperating with a suitable T-shaped groove 15 formed in saidsupport member 10, 11. In the present embodiment said groove 15 extendsat least over a part of the width of said support member 10, 11,nevertheless it could extend over the entire width thereof. Optionally,said safeguard 13 is additionally secured by means of a fixing means notshown which can be inserted through a hole 16 in the safeguard 13 into ahole 17 in the support member 10, 11. Each said support member 10, 11 isformed on the side cooperating with each vertical guide 1, 2 with aflange-like extension 18 extending in the direction of said verticalguide, an oblong and relatively narrow tongue-like projection beingassociated with said extension 18 in the longitudinal direction of saidvertical guide. The upper section 20 of said projection 19 is formedwith a pair of vertically and horizontally spaced circular projections21, 22 intended to mesh with the gearing 8, 9 of each vertical guide 1,2. Here, said projections 21, 22 are horizontally spaced to the extentthat they just sit into a gap between two neighbouring teeth of eachgearing 8, 9 when the shelf according to the invention is in lockedhorizontal position. Said section 20 is formed on the inner side of theprojection 19 with a guide 23 whereto a slider 24 snaps on whichcooperates with the vertical guide 1, 2. Each said projection 19 isherewith intended to cooperate with each vertical guide 1, 2 in a mannerthat it extends through a vertical gap between a wall 26 of a coolingappliance and each vertical guide 1, 2, said guide 23 along with theslider 24 being arranged within each said vertical guide 1, 2. Theslider 24 acts as a guidance for each support member 10, 11 inside thevertical guide 1, 2, whereas the circular projections 21, 22 mesh withthe gearing 8, 9 of each vertical guide 1, 2, thus each support member10, 11 as well as the shelf 12 being fixed in the position.

The shelf consisting of said support members 10, 11 and said depositplate 12 is vertically adjusted in said vertical guides 1, 2 in a mannerthat it is lifted up at the end averted from said vertical guides 1, 2so that it rotates about its centre of rotation which lies approximatelyin the horizontal axis of said slider 24. It is provided for in thismanner that said circular projections 21, 22 unmesh the gearing 8, 9 dueto which the shelf can be moved in height for the arbitrary number ofteeth of the gearing 8, 9. The precision of the adjusting the shelfaccording to the invention depends on the size of the teeth of thegearing 8, 9, the pitch of said teeth and the diameter of said circularprojections 21, 22. The system as described above provides for aform-locking fixing of the shelf. The shelf according to the inventionis additionally fixed in a horizontal position in a manner that asurface 27 of the flange-like extension 18 facing the vertical guide 1,2 is pressed, due to dead load of the shelf, against the vertical guide1, 2 and, respectively, against a decorative profile 28 which optionallycovers each vertical guide 1, 2. In this manner a friction-type blockingof the shelf is obtained.

1. A system for vertically adjusting a shelf, such as in refrigeratingappliances, cabinets, lockers and similar, said shelf compriseshorizontal support members (10, 11) arranged perpendicularly to verticalguides (1, 2) where they can be vertically adjusted, and a deposit plate(12), a drawer or similar, being attached to said horizontal supportmembers (10, 11), characterized in that said shelf is fixed in aform-locking and friction-type manner in vertical guides (1, 2) by meansof horizontal support members (10, 11).
 2. A system according to claim1, characterized in that said vertical guide (1, 2), having a C-shapedcross-section, comprises a web (3) formed with a plurality of throughholes (4) for passing the air, and a side (5) arranged opposite to saidweb (3), said side (5) being formed with folds (6) facing each other,where the free end of at least one fold (6, 7) is formed with a gearing(8, 9) extending preferably over the entire length of said guide (1, 2).3. A system according to claim 1, characterized in that each saidhorizontal support member (10, 11) is formed on the side cooperatingwith each of said guides (1, 2) with a flange-like extension (18), anoblong and relatively narrow tongue-like projection (19) beingassociated thereto in longitudinal direction, the upper section (20) ofsaid projection (19) is formed with a pair of vertically andhorizontally spaced circular projections (21, 22) intended to mesh withsaid gearing (8, 9) of each said guide (1, 2).
 4. A system according toclaim 1, characterized in that said section (20) is formed in the innerside of the projection (19) with a guide (23) whereto a slider (24)snaps on which cooperates with said vertical guide (1, 2).
 5. A systemaccording to claim 1, characterized in that said deposit plate (12) isfixed on horizontal support members (10, 11) by means of a safeguard(13) being connected in a form-locking manner with said support member(10, 11).
 6. A system according to claim 5, characterized in that saidsafeguard (13) is formed on the side facing said support member (10, 11)with a T-shaped guide (14) which cooperates with a suitable T-shapedgroove (15) formed in said support member (10, 11).
 7. A systemaccording to claim 1, characterized in that said shelf is additionallyfixed in a horizontal position by means of a friction-type blocking in amanner that a surface (27) of the flange-like extension (18) facing thevertical guide (1, 2) is pressed, due to dead load of the shelf, againstthe vertical guide (1, 2) and, respectively, against a decorativeprofile (28) which optionally covers each vertical guide (1, 2).
 8. Asystem according to claim 2, characterized in that each said horizontalsupport member (10, 11) is formed on the side cooperating with each ofsaid guides (1, 2) with a flange-like extension (18), an oblong andrelatively narrow tongue-like projection (19) being associated theretoin longitudinal direction, the upper section (20) of said projection(19) is formed with a pair of vertically and horizontally spacedcircular projections (21, 22) intended to mesh with said gearing (8, 9)of each said guide (1, 2).
 9. A system according to claim 2,characterized in that said section (20) is formed in the inner side ofthe projection (19) with a guide (23) whereto a slider (24) snaps onwhich cooperates with said vertical guide (1, 2).
 10. A system accordingto claim 3, characterized in that said section (20) is formed in theinner side of the projection (19) with a guide (23) whereto a slider(24) snaps on which cooperates with said vertical guide (1, 2).
 11. Asystem according to claim 2, characterized in that said deposit plate(12) is fixed on horizontal support members (10, 11) by means of asafeguard (13) being connected in a form-locking manner with saidsupport member (10, 11).
 12. A system according to claim 3,characterized in that said deposit plate (12) is fixed on horizontalsupport members (10, 11) by means of a safeguard (13) being connected ina form-locking manner with said support member (10, 11).
 13. A systemaccording to claim 4, characterized in that said deposit plate (12) isfixed on horizontal support members (10, 11) by means of a safeguard(13) being connected in a form-locking manner with said support member(10, 11).
 14. A system according to claim 2, characterized in that saidshelf is additionally fixed in a horizontal position by means of afriction-type blocking in a manner that a surface (27) of theflange-like extension (18) facing the vertical guide (1, 2) is pressed,due to dead load of the shelf, against the vertical guide (1, 2) and,respectively, against a decorative profile (28) which optionally coverseach vertical guide (1, 2).
 15. A system according to claim 3,characterized in that said shelf is additionally fixed in a horizontalposition by means of a friction-type blocking in a manner that a surface(27) of the flange-like extension (18) facing the vertical guide (1, 2)is pressed, due to dead load of the shelf, against the vertical guide(1, 2) and, respectively, against a decorative profile (28) whichoptionally covers each vertical guide (1, 2).
 16. A system according toclaim 4, characterized in that said shelf is additionally fixed in ahorizontal position by means of a friction-type blocking in a mannerthat a surface (27) of the flange-like extension (18) facing thevertical guide (1, 2) is pressed, due to dead load of the shelf, againstthe vertical guide (1, 2) and, respectively, against a decorativeprofile (28) which optionally covers each vertical guide (1, 2).
 17. Asystem according to claim 5, characterized in that said shelf isadditionally fixed in a horizontal position by means of a friction-typeblocking in a manner that a surface (27) of the flange-like extension(18) facing the vertical guide (1, 2) is pressed, due to dead load ofthe shelf, against the vertical guide (1, 2) and, respectively, againsta decorative profile (28) which optionally covers each vertical guide(1, 2).
 18. A system according to claim 6, characterized in that saidshelf is additionally fixed in a horizontal position by means of afriction-type blocking in a manner that a surface (27) of theflange-like extension (18) facing the vertical guide (1, 2) is pressed,due to dead load of the shelf, against the vertical guide (1, 2) and,respectively, against a decorative profile (28) which optionally coverseach vertical guide (1, 2).